In addition to providing fuel for your body, your diet provides nutrients that are needed for the health of your organs, including your thyroid gland. Although some have theorized that diet can affect the function of the thyroid gland, there does not appear to be any special "diet" for hypothyroidism. Still, the foods that you eat can affect the effectiveness of your treatments for this disorder.
Thyroid Gland
Your thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that is responsible for controlling your metabolism. The thyroid gland produces two different hormones, known as T4 and T3, that stimulate your body to burn energy. Low production of thyroid hormones is known as hypothyroidism and can cause weight gain, low energy, increased sensitivity to cold, muscle pain, constipation and pale or dry skin. The most common cause of hypothyroidism is inflammation of the thyroid gland, though other problems can also lead to an underactive thyroid.
Hypothyroidism and Iodine
One of the important components in the thyroid hormones is the mineral iodine. If you do not get enough iodine in your diet, it can impair the ability of your thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones, resulting in hypothyroidism. Iodine can be found in seaweed, seafood and plants that are grown in iodine-rich soil, but most commercially available kinds of salt have iodine added to them, so iodine deficiencies are rare in the United States.
Hypothyroidism Diets
Some people have theorized that there are certain foods you can eat to improve your thyroid function or that you should avoid certain foods if you think you have hypothyroidism. However, there is no reliable scientific evidence that eating or avoiding certain foods has any effect on the function of the thyroid gland, aside from people who have iodine deficiencies. If you think you have hypothyroidism, your doctor can measure your thyroid function and prescribe medications to increase the amount of thyroid hormones in your body.
Food and Thyroid Hormone Supplements
Hypothyroidism often requires you to take thyroid hormone supplements. If you are taking these supplements, be sure to take them on an empty stomach as this will help them to be absorbed more thoroughly. You should also avoid taking these supplements with certain foods, such as soybean flour, walnuts and cottonseed meal. Do not take thyroid hormone supplements with iron-containing multivitamins, calcium supplements, antacids, ulcer medications and drugs used to lower cholesterol.
